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Let me just be clear that all this quasi-racist name-calling and stereotyping over the last few pages is not useful or helpful. Nobody likes being pigeon-holed into a cultural stereotype or dismissed categorically. If it's too difficult to do analysis without resorting to this sort of biased judging, then perhaps it's better to stick to the news. This is an important global issue, and we don't need it to be bogged-down by unneeded racial/cultural prejudice.

Even with all this buster, I don't think that NK is stupid enough to go to war. They shouldn't be quite that stupid...

Sucks to be the guys in SK's military conscription army when they do though. The thing about conscripted armies, you can never be quite sure on the quality outside of training. I mean, who wants to die when you are forced into the army.

Even with all this buster, I don't think that NK is stupid enough to go to war. They shouldn't be quite that stupid...

Sucks to be the guys in SK's military conscription army when they do though. The thing about conscripted armies, you can never be quite sure on the quality outside of training. I mean, who wants to die when you are forced into the army.

I am suspecting that Kim Jong Un WANTED a war because he couldn't control his own generals, who are mocking him for being a Western fatso ruling a superior Eastern country.

Kim is playing hard to set the 7th Fleet on them while he flees, or a conflict to teach his generals a lesson that they need him as much as he needs them. But the Americans aren't interested in facing China one more time because they last time they did, China singlehandedly beat back the entire NATO.

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When three puppygirls named after pastries are on top of each other, it is called Eclair a'la menthe et Biscotti aux fraises avec beaucoup de Ricotta sur le dessus.
Most of all, you have to be disciplined and you have to save, even if you hate our current financial system. Because if you don't save, then you're guaranteed to end up with nothing.

Even with all this buster, I don't think that NK is stupid enough to go to war. They shouldn't be quite that stupid...

Sucks to be the guys in SK's military conscription army when they do though. The thing about conscripted armies, you can never be quite sure on the quality outside of training. I mean, who wants to die when you are forced into the army.

At the very least, North Korea shouldn't be stupid enough to go to war while the USA and ROK are in the middle of wargames, where they'd theoretically be able to most rapidly transition from a peacetime to war time situation.

Conscription can be a bit finicky sometimes, but there IS the extra motivation factor when you're homeland is under direct and imminent threat. If the Kim's go and start mass shelling Seoul where allot of these recruits undoubtedly come from, it'd be very unwise to hope that the South Korean conscripts get tired of fighting.

If anything, these hostilities are likely to hasten South Korea's adoption of more advanced weapon systems. Like the K21 AFV and the K2 Main Battle tank. Those vehicles have a number of characteristics that'd make them more advantageous to fighting in mountain combat than some of the older ROK kit (like the K21 having air burst 40mm rounds, and the K2 being extremely mobile over rough terrain, and having advanced missle defense systems).

Before his escape from North Korea, Lee Gi-chul served as a lieutenant in the Korean People's army, part of the second war training unit responsible for guerrilla warfare.

He said that although the outside world might not enjoy growing animosities between North Korea and the west, it was something his fellow soldiers looked forward to. Not because they were overly patriotic, but because this was the only time they were fed properly.

During annual military drills between the US and South Korea, "we had to spend several nights in the field, march long distances at night, and even during rest, keep our boots on and sleep in short bursts," he said. "Nevertheless, we were happy because this was about the only time we received regular meals: 800g of daily rations. We called it a meal 'above the bowl' because normally there was so little rice in our bowls that you could see to the bottom before you even started eating."

Another former soldier in exile, Kim Hyun-soo, used to work in construction unit 501. "Throughout the year we did hard labour at construction sites or had to work on a farm. But during times of war readiness, the hard labour stopped. All we had to do was turn up to work and wait for orders. When we had to do night shifts in the field, no one took it seriously. Someone would always sneak out a few bottles of alcohol for us to drink at night." Soldiers would play card games while on standby, Kim said.

For ordinary North Koreans however, the military drills are considered more of a nuisance. Since soldiers have to relocate and remain in a restricted area for long periods, they are sent by senior officers into neighbouring villages to demand donations from farmers. One North Korean refugee said that they would "voluntarily offer goods to the soldiers, because no matter how much they saved for themselves, the soldiers would end up finding and stealing their property".

Assuming this was still accurate, it rather brings into question the actual combat readiness of a good chunk of the DPRK army, what if they're often being used farm/manual labor not related to military drilling, and the only time they get adequate food is when it's time to do intimidation maneuvers against the south.

I am suspecting that Kim Jong Un WANTED a war because he couldn't control his own generals, who are mocking him for being a Western fatso ruling a superior Eastern country.

Kim is playing hard to set the 7th Fleet on them while he flees, or a conflict to teach his generals a lesson that they need him as much as he needs them. But the Americans aren't interested in facing China one more time because they last time they did, China singlehandedly beat back the entire NATO.

To be fair, anybody can beat NATO. You can't win a war on a committee.

To be fair, anybody can beat NATO. You can't win a war on a committee.

Well they went up against flamethrowers without burn heal.

__________________

When three puppygirls named after pastries are on top of each other, it is called Eclair a'la menthe et Biscotti aux fraises avec beaucoup de Ricotta sur le dessus.
Most of all, you have to be disciplined and you have to save, even if you hate our current financial system. Because if you don't save, then you're guaranteed to end up with nothing.

Conscription can be a bit finicky sometimes, but there IS the extra motivation factor when you're homeland is under direct and imminent threat. If the Kim's go and start mass shelling Seoul where allot of these recruits undoubtedly come from, it'd be very unwise to hope that the South Korean conscripts get tired of fighting.

Depends, I've had a friend who told me (during my army reserves training) that he would grab his rifle and head home to protect his family in the event of any attack. The thing about a professional army, you know that they signed up for it and they are mentally prepared for it. For a conscript one, you are pretty much forced to do it. If you are on the eastern front while the your home on the west side is being attacked, you would get worried for your home and family I guess....

Depends, I've had a friend who told me (during my army reserves training) that he would grab his rifle and head home to protect his family in the event of any attack. The thing about a professional army, you know that they signed up for it and they are mentally prepared for it. For a conscript one, you are pretty much forced to do it. If you are on the eastern front while the your home on the west side is being attacked, you would get worried for your home and family I guess....

*looks at his loadout*

I am glad I carry a machine gun to stand a better chance.

Although it might be interesting to note that the South Koreans may not have a similar mentality of defending their home in this case; my friend there, a border MP during his days, told me that there is some sort of a mass evacuation plan for women/children/old southwards should the North Koreans invade; there is enough gun stores in every state to do a mass mobilisation of up to 75% of the conscripted population within half-an-hour.

And if they don't, they would be dragged out of their homes. It is considered treason not to mobilise at the moment, and you know the standard punishment for such treason - getting shot dead in front of your family members.

__________________

When three puppygirls named after pastries are on top of each other, it is called Eclair a'la menthe et Biscotti aux fraises avec beaucoup de Ricotta sur le dessus.
Most of all, you have to be disciplined and you have to save, even if you hate our current financial system. Because if you don't save, then you're guaranteed to end up with nothing.

I'd imagine they would have a lot of reserve bases around the country to store all the arms the reserve soldiers would normally used when called up. Plus maybe a store of the older weapons used over the years to arm everyone else.